According to "Webster's Dictionary", Traditions are customs passed
down from one generation to another. This being accepted practice
of a community or people. The customary way that the German people
do the events in their daily lives is interesting, not only to us,
but to themselves.

Follow the links below to visit the traditions and culture of a
proud German People.

*Junggesellenabschied - The equivalent of a "Bachelor
Party" which takes place up to a few weeks before the wedding.

*The "Father of the Bride", which pays the cost of
the wedding.

*The plate-breaking traditions of Polterabend, roughly
translates as "ghost evening". The evening before the wedding, the
guests go to the house of the bride, bringing plates, dishes, coffee/tea
cups, and proceed to smash them at the door before entering. The pieces
are supposed to each bring good luck, (don't bring Corelleware "unbreakable"
plates, I did and learned a lesson). After smashing the plates, you
are invited in for coffee and cake!

*Kidnapping of the Bride. As best man if was my responsibility
to help kidnap the bride. This took place while we were at a pub.
I actually his her there in the back of the pub, while the groom tried
to guess where she was. When he couldn't, he had to buy a round for
the bar, (needless to say, he was a bit embarrassed when he did not
find her).

*Car Procession to and from the wedding, has the
front ends of the vehicles covered in flowers.

*After the wedding, first the wedding pictures(usually
in a picturesque garden), then the wedding dinner, which is filled
with dancing, wine, schnapps and the dinner.

*The First Dance is "performed" by the new couple,
followed by the in-laws.

*The Money Dance is performed after the first few
dances and the guests give the couple money to dance with them.